Library News - Research Guides at Sonoma State University Library

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Focus on: SSU Research

10/31/2025

Rita Premo

Sonoma State faculty continue to produce excellent scholarship and creative activity. The following include articles and other materials disseminated during the month of October.

Leyva, L. A., Mitchell, N. D., Posada-Castañeda, R., Byrne, M. H., Luna-Bazán, R., Ashkenazy, Y., & Abreu-Ramos, E. (2025). Racially-Affirming Community in Instructional Servingness for Latin Students’ Gateway Mathematics Classroom Participation. AERA Open, 11.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) advance servingness (i.e., racially-affirming support for Latin* students through campus programs and services) to promote academic success. However, the role of mathematics instruction in servingness is underexamined. Given how gateway mathematics courses filter out racial diversity in STEM majors, insights about Latin* students’ experiences of instruction in these courses can enhance servingness. This study analyzed 27 undergraduate Latin* students’ experiences of servingness through classroom participation in gateway mathematics courses at an HSI. We focused on classroom participation due to its well-documented influence on Latin* students’ mathematics identities and STEM persistence. Latin* students largely reported supportive instruction that reduced risks of participation. However, cultivating a racially-affirming community (a key aspect of servingness on the broader HSI campus) was also necessary to disrupt racialized influences and ensure Latin* students’ equitable access to participation. We conclude with implications for research and practice to advance servingness through STEM education across HSIs.

Ricart, A. M., Gómez, J. B., Karm, R. H., Largier, J. L., Bastos Correa De Souza, V., Dias, A. S., Velázquez, M. G., Nelson, T., Cavanaugh, K. C., Cavanaugh, K. C., & Hughes, B. B. (2025). Persistent kelp forests during a massive decline reveal the importance of land–sea connectivity. Ecology (Durham), 106(9), Article e70212.

A fundamental goal in ecology is to understand the drivers of stability in natural ecosystems in the face of disturbances. However, this is challenging when biotic and abiotic stressors operate simultaneously across multiple spatial scales. Such is the case for bull kelp forests (Nereocystis luetkeana) in northern California, where losses of predators combined with marine heatwaves have led to shifts from kelp forest to sea urchin barren states. However, despite the >90% loss of bull kelp forests since 2014, some patches remain. Here, we investigate the bull kelp community assemblage in these remnant patches as well as the drivers of bull kelp forest resistance. We used a combination of in situ field surveys (years 2020–2022), remote sensing data (years 2016–2022), and a laboratory grazing experiment with urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). We found that, in addition to the two dominant states (kelp forest vs. urchin barren), there is a third community state dominated by understory canopy‐forming macroalgae that stays subsurface. Moreover, bull kelp abundance and cover were positively associated with freshwater flow and proximity to freshwater sources, and bull kelp persistence was positively associated with sand cover, all of which seem to diminish sea urchin abundance and the negative effects of sea urchin herbivory on bull kelp. This was also shown in the laboratory experiment where sea urchin herbivory rates on bull kelp decreased with decreasing salinity. Overall, these results suggest that freshwater influence in shallow coastal environments could prevent loss of bull kelp and show that land–sea connections should be considered for species‐specific management and conservation actions.

García, J. J., & Ni, H. W. (2025). Editorial to the special issue on Diversity Science: From theory to action in applied settings. Current Psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.).
Over the past few years, furthering diversity science as an interdisciplinary field has been vital to addressing societal inequalities that disproportionately affect historically marginalized and minoritized communities. Within a diversity science framework, human behavior and psychological processes are shaped by—but also influence—social environments. Plaut (2010) originally defined diversity science as “the study of the interpretation and construction of human differences—of why and how differences make a difference—within the context of existing, historically shaped cultural and structural realities” (p. 168). This field has several theoretical principles, including the need to dismantle the mask of neutrality afforded to those in dominant groups, a focus on minoritized perspectives to resist homogeneity in psychological processes among minoritized groups, an examination of the sociocultural climate that minoritized persons navigate, and centering a sociocultural approach to understand different racialization processes among communities of color (Plaut, 2010; Miller et al., 2019). Since then, diversity science has had remarkable growth and recognition as a legitimate field of study that includes various diverse communities (Causadias et al., 2023; Miller et al., 2019). In the backdrop of historical/current backlash against DEI—and to highlight the scientific contributions of this diversity science to the broader academic community—our special issue features 18 articles from both U.S. and international scholars, representing countries such as China, Türkiye, Spain, South Korea, Japan, Ethiopia, Portugal, Germany, and Taiwan. Articles within this special issue span multiple fields, including Educational Psychology, Health Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Kinesiology, Developmental Social Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Medicine, Behavioral Sciences, Public Health, and Social/Economic Psychology. Featured work applies the theoretical principles of diversity science to five contexts: education, healthcare, industrial/organizational, stress-based research, and innovative methodology.

Shrestha, S. (2025). Device and method for determining a level or concentration of an analyte in a person's blood from one or more volatile analytes in the person's breath (U.S. Patent No. 12278013). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

A device configured to determine a level or concentration of a disease-related analyte in a person's blood from volatile analyte(s) in the person's breath. The device includes one or more sensors configured to detect the volatile analyte(s) in the person's breath, a microcontroller in communication with each sensor, a transmitter, a battery, and a housing. The microcontroller contains logic that correlates parameter values from the sensor(s) or the level/concentration of the volatile analyte(s) to the level/concentration of the disease-related analyte. The transmitter is configured to transmit the parametric value from each sensor and/or the level/concentration of the volatile analyte(s) and/or the disease-related analyte. The housing surrounds, encloses and/or secures the sensor(s), the microcontroller, the transmitter and the battery, and contains a tube or opening through which the person exhales so that the person's breath contacts the sensor(s).

If you're interested in other scholarly and creative works by Sonoma State faculty, you can check out items from the SSU Faculty book display on the 2nd floor of the Schulz Information Center or use the specialized search option within OneSearch and select SSU Research.

Psychology, Electrical Engineering, Biology, Mathematics

Focus on: SSU Research

07/29/2025

Rita Premo

SSU faculty produce consequential research relevant to the university, the North Bay, and the broader public. The library is pleased to highlight and share monthly via Focus On: SSU Research. Here is July 2025's digest of newly published research:

Sperou, E. S., Krause, D. J., Borras‐Chavez, R., Charapata, P., Costa, D. P., Crocker, D. E., Smith, K. J., Thompson, B., Best, A., Anderson, J., Goebel, M. E., Bonin, C. A., & Kienle, S. S. (2025). Individual Specialization in a Generalist Apex Predator: The Leopard Seal. Ecology and Evolution, 15(6), e71593-n/a.

Apex predators are typically considered dietary generalists, which often masks individual variability. However, individual specialization—consistent differences among individuals in resource use or ecological role—is common in apex predators. In some species, only a few specialized individuals can significantly impact prey populations. Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are apex predators important to the structure and function of the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Though broadly described as generalists, little is known about their trophic ecology at the population or individual level. We analyzed δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N profiles in whiskers (n = 46) from 34 leopard seals in the Western Antarctic Peninsula to assess trophic variation. We also evaluated individual consistency across years using repeat samples from 7 seals over 2–10 years. We compared population and individual isotopic niche space and explored drivers of intraspecific variation in leopard seal trophic ecology. We find that leopard seals have a broad trophic niche (range: 6.96%–15.21‰) and are generalists at the population level. However, most individuals are specialists (59% for δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C), with only a few generalists (13% for δ¹⁵N, 6% for δ¹³C). Individuals also specialize at different trophic levels. Most variation in trophic ecology is driven by individual specialization, but sex and mass also contribute. We also find that some seals specialize over time, consistently foraging at the same trophic level, while others switch within and between years. This suggests some seals may disproportionately impact prey, especially when specialists consistently target specific species. Long-term specialization by a few leopard seals likely contributed to the decline of the local Antarctic fur seal population. Our findings show the importance of examining individual specialization in leopard seals across their range to understand their impact on other prey populations. This approach should be applied to other apex predator populations, as a few specialists can significantly impact ecosystems.

Mangun, G. R., Liu, Y., Bengson, J. J., Fannon, S. P., DiQuattro, N. E., & Geng, J. J. (2016). Neuroimaging approaches to the study of visual attention. In Neuromethods (Vol. 119, pp. 387–417).

Selective attention is a core cognitive ability that enables organisms to effectively process and respond to relevant information while ignoring distracting events. Elucidating the neural bases of selective attention remains a key challenge for neuroscience and represents an essential goal of translational efforts to ameliorate attentional deficits in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of attention is crucial for the development and refinement of brain-machine interfaces. In addition, the relevance of attention mechanisms also extends to training and education methods. A more nuanced understanding could enable the development of more effective strategies and programs, enriching the educational landscape. This chapter will examine how functional imaging methods, with a primary focus on fMRI, have deepened our understanding of core aspects of attention, such as how attention is controlled, focused on relevant inputs, and reoriented, and how this control leads to the selection of relevant information. The most relevant studies will be reviewed with a focus on fMRI methods. However, a discussion of electromagnetic recording methods used in conjunction with fMRI, including simultaneous EEG/fMRI methods, will also be included where appropriate.

Burton, B. R. (2025). Six Steps to a Successful Study Abroad Program: Case Study in Stockholm, Sweden. csuglobalaction (2)2, 1-12.

This article is meant to serve as a guide for developing a short-term (typically 2 to 3 weeks long) faculty-led study abroad program. I will focus solely on my work in Stockholm, Sweden, during summer 2023. This article will be particularly helpful to faculty members who are new to developing their own study abroad programs. I have six suggested steps for developing a successful faculty-led program. These six steps include:

thinking about what you want for students and your own career;
building on-campus partnerships;
recruiting and supporting students as early as possible;
making the program itinerary interactive and rewarding for your students;
preparing students for international travel;
reflecting at the conclusion of the program while continuing to build long-term relationships with global partners.

Bhang, C. H., Yoon, E., Alejandre, S. M., Lefebvre, E. A., & Yeh, E. Y. (2025). Resilience Among 1.5 Generation Korean American Emerging Adults. Asian American Journal of Psychology.

This qualitative study uses grounded theory to uncover cultural factors that promote resilience in 1.5 generation Korean American emerging adults. A total of 14 Korean Americans recruited from Los Angeles and surrounding areas completed demographic questionnaires and semistructured interviews ranging from 1 hr to 1.5 hr. The data were then analyzed using grounded theory, which yielded three categories and a model of cultural factors that promote resilience in 1.5 generation Korean American emerging adults. Results indicated several themes in each of the three main categories of resilience-promoting factors, cultural context, and understanding of cultural context. From the findings, we developed a conceptual model of 1.5 generation Korean Americans’ resilience process in the intersection between culture and resilience. The model involved cultural context, resilience-promoting factors, and meaning-making between culture and resilience, adding onto ecosystemic, socioecological frameworks of resilience.

Hao, B., Ahmadi, Y., Zhang, T., Chen, C., Lu, Z., Ma, H., & Kim, K.-H. (2025). Ultrathin K-doped g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr heterojunctions with S-scheme charge transfer for efficient photodegradation of tetracycline. Journal of Environmental Management, 391, 126677.

Residual tetracycline (TC) in aquatic ecosystems poses a significant risk to the health of both flora and fauna. Advanced catalysts with strong photocatalytic capabilities have emerged as a promising solution for not only TC degradation but also water purification. Here, the photocatalytic destruction (PCD) of TC has been investigated using ultrathin potassium-doped g-C₃N₄/BiOBr heterojunctions (KCNx/By, where x and y are the percent mass ratio values of KOH/melamine and KCN/BiOBr, respectively). All PCD tests have been conducted under 300 W of illumination from a xenon lamp with a light intensity at the catalyst surface of 280 mW. The PCD efficiencies of the formulated KCN2/B3 (92.7 % within 30 min) are approximately 1.62 and 1.34-fold higher than those of KCN2 and BiOBr, respectively. KCN2/B3 achieves the strongest performance against TC in terms of removal-reaction kinetics (r: 0.209 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and space-time yield (5.90E-03 molecules·photon⁻¹·g⁻¹) among the common photocatalysts built by g-C₃N₄- or BiOBr. The superior photocatalytic activity of KCN2/B3 can be attributed to the S-scheme charge-transmission pathway, which efficiently preserves photogenerated electrons (B3: reduction catalyst) and holes (KCN2: oxidation photocatalyst). This newly fabricated 2D/2D nanocomposite can be used in the construction of a scalable photocatalytic system for the remediation of TC in wastewater.

Green, N., Norwood, A., Sidhe, C., Mutlow, A., Aymen, J., Stiles, R., Bushell, J., Lim, T., Culver, E., Reeder, N., Timmer, M., Connelly, F., Charbonneau, J., McCall, W., Koenig, L., Stein, M., Geist, N., Lambert, M. R., & Hernández-Gómez, O. (2025). Shell Lesion Prevalence and Bacteriome Associations in Threatened Western Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) in California, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 61(3), 574.

Bacteriome characterization studies can provide insights into the microbial ecology associated with disease. We collected western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata and Actinemys pallida) from six San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA, ponds; assessed their shells for lesions; and collected shell swabs and keratin scrape samples to evaluate bacteriome differences between the whole shell (swabs) and the affected tissues (scrapes). We quantified shell lesion type and prevalence by using visual inspections of photographs collected of the plastron and carapace and then applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the associated bacteriomes of shells that observed pits, ulcerations, or no lesions. We observed shell lesions at high frequencies throughout our sites, with larger individuals (>100-mm plastron length) more likely to possess injuries. We saw no differences in alpha diversities between shells presenting with lesions and those on which we did not observe lesions; however, swab samples showed higher bacterial richness than keratin scrapes. The bacterial composition within the scrapes was influenced by pond location and then lesion presence. We observed a higher relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteria, and Deinococcota in the shell keratin microflora of turtles with shell lesions. Because western pond turtles are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in the USA, understanding patterns of shell disease pathologies and the bacteria associated with disease is imperative for the management of current populations.

Hernandez, K. M., Clemento, A. J., Linossier, J. E., Crocker, D. E., Costa, D. P., Reichmuth, C., & Garza, J. C. (2025). Microhaplotype Methods Enable Relationship Inference in a Bottlenecked Mammalian Species. Animal Conservation.

Genetic methods provide the ability to assess key aspects of population biology. Recent advances in high‐throughput, low‐cost DNA sequencing are providing opportunities to study species with limited genetic diversity. In particular, microhaplotype genetic markers have exponentially increased our ability to elucidate kin relationships and social structure through accurate pedigree reconstruction. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) have extraordinarily low genetic variation—among the most depauperate of any mammal species—making it challenging to discern familial relationships with genetic methods. Here, we describe the discovery of a panel of 122 microhaplotype markers for the species, validated by genotyping population samples with a standard amplicon‐sequencing approach. Additionally, we correctly assigned known mother‐offspring pairs with high confidence in the inferred relationships, successfully overcoming historical obstacles to the use of genetic tools for relationship inference in pedigree studies of northern elephant seals. This work enables key conservation questions to be addressed for this species and provides an example of how to advance understanding of the ecology, behavior, and reproduction of other mammals with very low genetic diversity.

Geckle, B., Fang, K., & Saraví, J. R. (2025). Editorial: Skateboarding and society: intersections, influences, and implications. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1649479.

Over the last 75 years, skateboarding has come a long way, evolving from a niche activity among surfers in California to a global phenomenon with millions of participants worldwide. Throughout its history, the activity of skateboarding has diversified. The people who skateboard, where they ride, how they ride, and their reasons for riding have evolved as skateboarders have developed new and creative ways to participate in the activity. As the activity of skateboarding has changed, so too have skateboarders’ interactions with their surrounding communities, both physically and socially. These unique characteristics of skateboarding have attracted the attention of researchers over the last several decades. Books, theses, and articles are evidence of this research. The Research Topic presented here, entitled “Skateboarding and Society: Intersections, Influences, and Implications,” contributes to this body of literature by demonstrating how skateboarding can be a useful mechanism for negotiating power, placemaking, urban and social development, education, and change.

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Criminology & Criminal Justice Studies, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry

Reimagining Multiculturalism on psychotherapy.net

07/30/2024

Laura Krier

This is for all of you in the Counseling program: Have you checked out the wide range of training videos on psychotherapy.net? Psychotherapy.net is a rich resource for exploring different therapeutic approaches and issues.

They recently released a new series, Reimagining Multiculturalism: A Contemporary Narrative Approach, that focuses on how to help clients trace the impacts of systemic racism and create new stories to support their health and wellbeing. This three-part series explores Narrative Therapy in interviews with Travis Heath, Associate Professor at SDSU, and through recorded therapy sessions using these techniques.

If you're studying counseling and psychotherapy, check out the psychotherapy.net library of videos to deepen your learning.

Psychology, Counseling